effectivelywildfandomcom-20200215-history
Episode 343: Some Questions Asked
Date December 6, 2013 Summary Ben and Sam answer listener emails about the high-strikeout era, baseball with soccer scoring, unintentional walks and reaching on error, and more. Topics * Who benefits from rising strikeout rates? * Success against Mariano Rivera * Baseball sideshows & skills competitions * Baseball with soccer standing rules * Counting intentional walks * Counting reached on errors Intro Home Run Derby sound clip Outro Episode outtake sound clip Banter * Sam has repeatedly gotten press release emails for a book, 'Ken Griffey Jr. and Me' * Ben & Sam discuss the type of players they like. Email Questions * Shawn: "In this new age of baseball where strikeout numbers are through the roof, who is the true benefactor? Is it the borderline pitcher who might otherwise be toiling away in AAA but is now able to hold down a roster spot? Or is the strikeout prone hitter who offers value in other areas and is no longer looked down upon because of his high strikeout rate? Or does anyone benefit any differently than they did before?" * Shawn: "With Mariano Rivera set to retire and Derek Jeter most likely retiring after the 2014 season, I got to wondering: is Derek Jeter the ideal hitter to have against Mariano Rivera? I've always heard commentators say right handed hitters have an easier time hitting Rivera's cutter because it cuts away from them rather than in on their hands and of course Jeter is iconic for slashing singles and doubles down the right field and first base line. It seems to me Rivera's cutter would play right into Jeter's wheelhouse yet fans never got to see the two face each other." * Shawn: "How differently, if at all, would baseball games be managed if the standings were constructed as they are in soccer: three points for victories, one point for ties, zero for loss. With no threat of extra innings pitchers wouldn't need to be saved for an epic 18 inning affair, so I would have to think managers would go to their bullpens with less hesitation, maybe bring in a handful of pitchers in succession over the course of a couple innings based on matchups. At the same time maybe teams wouldn't need so many bullpen arms and could use those roster spots on extra bats on the bench, thus freeing managers from keeping subpar hitters in the entire game because they don't have an adequate enough replacements to make it worth pulling starters." * Eric: "I would like to request a hot take debate on the merits of intentional walks counting the same for a player's stats as an unintentional walk. I would like Ben to argue that they should count the same and Sam that they should not." Notes * Ben & Sam each tend to like players who are highly specialized and unique, or do something that isn't captured by stats. * Sam thinks that hitters who swing early in the count will have an edge in the current era because pitchers are more likely to throw strikes early in the count. * Ben is interested in a baseball skills competition, Sam is not. * Sam thinks that there would be an all-bullpen pitching staff in a few years if there was no threat of extra innings. * Sam, on extra innings, "It's the only thing I like about baseball, the possibility that it might never end." * In the last two seasons Norichika Aoki reached base on errors 27 times. If included in his OBP it would raise it .22 points. Links * Effectively Wild Episode 343: Some Questions Asked * Royals Make Trade That Even Internet Can't Criticize by Ben Lindbergh and Mike Gianella Category:Email Episodes Category:Episodes